Flying to California last fall with a 6-month-old was hardly a piece of cake, but it was manageable. But flying with a 13-month-old? I have to admit, I’m feeling a little daunted. Here are the tricks I have up my sleeve:
An android zeepad tablet with several top-rated apps for her age group
Small toys wrapped in tinfoil
A box of bandaids
Lollipops
A bag of bags
And of course, bottles, pacifiers, small books, diapers, change of clothes, etc and so on.
Did I mention that my 84-year-old, not very mobile but very demanding, grandmother is coming along? I volunteered to do this trip with her so she can see at least one of her grandkids have an actual wedding. And who knows when she will see us all together again, if ever? Hard to say who will be harder to travel with, the baby or the grandma, but my bets are totally on grandma.
And did I mention that I hate Dallas, and hate Texas? All that concrete, and heat. And “state pride”.
At least it will be 80 degrees. And we will be in a garden area, so I’m hoping for greenery. It will be nice to see my cousins and aunt, but otherwise we won’t know anyone, and since the wedding starts at 7pm, I guess we won’t be staying long. The baby will need to go down by 9pm, the grandma soon after.
Mother of All Things 
Suggestion: Those small packets of disposable earplugs. When I flew with my little brother (as in 22 years younger), I offered them to those sitting around me and mentioned that my brother was very well behaved but this was his first time flying.
My favorite tip for this age: go to goodwill, get a wallet with about twenty pockets. Stuff it with old receipts, used gift cards, folded up slips of paper and anything else thin you can think of. This kept my daughter busy on a plane for hours!
Great idea!!!
My daughter was a little older, but I took one of those first aid bandages…my daughter loved wrapping it around my arm. And when all else failed I got out the candy. Good luck!